Washing agent dispensing device, particularly for a dishwashing machine

ABSTRACT

A dispensing device for a dishwashing machine, including: a body mounted to a door of the dishwashing machine; a receptacle formed in the body to receive a quantity of a washing or rinsing agent; a lid associated with the receptacle and displaceable in a manner constrained to the body against the action of a spring from an open position into a closed position, wherein the lid comprises an outer face which faces away from the receptacle when the lid is in closed position; a latching apparatus having a striker member assuming a deactivated configuration, in which the striker member is configured to be engaged by the latching member when the lid is closed, and an activated configuration, in which the striker member releases the latching element allowing the lid to pass into the open position; and an opening member which disengages the latching member from the striker element in deactivated configuration, allowing the lid to open.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a dispensing device for a washing and/or rinsing agent, in particular for a dishwashing machine.

More specifically, the present invention relates to a dispensing device comprising

-   -   a body configured to be mounted to a door of the dishwashing         machine on the side directed during operation towards a washing         chamber of said dishwashing machine;     -   at least one receptacle formed in the body and intended to         receive a quantity of a washing or rinsing agent;     -   at least one movable lid associated with said at least one         receptacle and displaceable in a manner constrained to the body         against the action of resilient return means from an open         position into a closed position, where it opens and closes the         receptacle, respectively, wherein said lid comprises an outer         face which faces away from the receptacle when the lid is in         closed position;     -   a latching apparatus comprising a resiliently biased latching         member arranged on the lid and an automatically controlled         striker member arranged on the body, wherein said striker member         is able to assume a deactivated configuration, in which the         striker member is configured to be engaged by the latching         element when the lid is in the closed position, and an activated         configuration, in which the striker member releases the latching         element allowing the lid to pass from the closed position into         the open position; and     -   at least one manually operated opening member arranged on the         lid and operable to disengage the latching element from the         striker element in deactivated configuration, allowing the lid         to pass from the closed position into the open position.

Background

Dispensing devices are known, wherein the manually operated opening member is a push-button.

One object of the present invention is to provide an alternative configuration for a dispensing device for a washing and/or rinsing agent.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This and other objects are achieved according to the invention with a dispensing device of the type specified at the beginning, characterised in that the manually operated opening member is slidably arranged in a slider guide extending along said outer face of the lid.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, which is given purely by way of a non-limiting example, with reference to the attached drawings, wherein:

FIGS. 1 and 2 are front, perspective views of a dispensing device according to the present invention, in closed and open position, respectively;

FIGS. 3a-3c are a plan view, a sectioned view and a detail view, respectively, of the dispensing device of FIG. 1, in which a striker member is in deactivated configuration and an opening member is not operated;

FIGS. 4a-4c are a plan view, a sectioned view and a detail view, respectively, of the dispensing device of FIG. 1, in which the striker member is in activated configuration and the opening member is not operated; and

FIG. 5a-5c are a plan view, a sectioned view and a detail view, respectively, of the dispensing device of FIG. 1, in which the striker member is in deactivated configuration and the opening member is operated.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the drawings, the reference number 1 indicates the whole of an integrated dispensing device including a dispenser of washing agent or detergent according to the present invention.

In a per se known manner, such an integrated dispensing device 1 is intended to be fixed to an inner wall of a door delimiting a washing chamber of a dishwashing machine.

Although the attached drawings show an integrated dispensing device also comprising a dispenser of rinse agent or rinse aid, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment of the washing agent dispenser in a form in which it is integrated with such a further dispenser of rinse agent.

The dispensing device 1 comprises a body 2, for example made of moulded plastic, which is intended to be connected (in a manner known per se and not shown) to the door of the dishwashing machine on the side directed during operation towards the washing chamber of this dishwashing machine.

The body 2 comprised a recessed receptacle 3, essentially in the form of a tray. The receptacle 3 is intended to receive a quantity of washing agent, such as a powder detergent or a liquid detergent or a solid washing agent in the form of “soap bar” or tablet.

The device 1 comprises a movable lid 5 which is associated with the receptacle 3 and is connected to the body 2. The movable lid 5 is displaceable in a manner constrained to the body 2 between a closed position (FIG. 1) and an open position (FIG. 2), where it sealingly closes and opens the receptacle 3, respectively. In the example shown in the drawings, the lid 5 is slidable in the direction indicated by arrow y. However, the invention is not limited to such a kind of motion, and comprises for example embodiments in which the lid rotates about a fixed axis, as well as embodiments in which the lid follows a more complex trajectory, such as a trajectory comprising a sliding component and a tilting component.

In the example shown in the drawings, the lid 5 comprises, on each of its lateral sides, a pair of pins 5 a integrally formed with the lid 5 and slidably arranged in respective grooves 5 b formed in the body of the dispenser 1.

A resilient return member, such as a spring 8, is associated with the lid 5, said return member tending to cause the latter to slide towards the open position. This return spring may be, for example, a torsion spring.

When the movable lid 5 is situated in the closed position (FIG. 1), a latching apparatus keeps it in this position against the action of the return spring 8 which would tend to bring it back into the open position. With reference to FIGS. 3b-3c to 5b -5 c, this latching apparatus comprising a resiliently biased latching member 11 arranged on the lid 5 and an automatically controlled striker member 13 arranged on the body 2.

In the example shown in the drawings, the striker member 13 is formed as a pivoting lever housed in a recess 13 a formed in the body 2 and adjacent to the receptacle 3 for the washing agent. The pivoting axis of the latching member 13 is designated with x in the drawings, and extends in a direction substantially orthogonal to the bottom of the recess 13 a. However, the invention is not limited to such a kind of motion for the striker member 13. The latching member 13 is arranged in such a way as to have a free end 13 b, opposite to the pivoting axis x, lying under the lid 5.

In a way per se known, the striker member 13 is operatively connected to an electrically operated actuator (not shown), such as a solenoid actuator or the like. Due to this connection, the striker member 13 is able to switch or move between a deactivated configuration (FIGS. 3a-3c ), in which the free end 13 b of the striker member 13 is configured to be engaged by the latching member 11 when the lid 5 is in the closed position, and an activated configuration (FIGS. 4a-4c ), in which the free end 13 b of the striker member 13 releases the latching member 11 allowing the lid 5 to pass from the closed position into the open position, under the action of the associated return spring 8.

The latching member 11 is formed in one piece with a manually operated opening member 15 arranged on the lid 5. The opening member 15 is slidably arranged in a slider guide 16 extending along an outer face 5 b of the lid 5. As used herein, the term “outer face” is intended to mean a face of the lid 5 that faces away from the receptacle 3 when the lid 5 is in closed position. In other words, the outer face is the top surface of the lid 5, so that the opening member can be operated by a finger of a user. The slider guide 16 is formed as a groove extending through the thickness of the lid, so that the latching member 11 can protrude from the inner face of the lid 5, facing towards the receptacle 3 and recess 13 a.

According to further embodiments, the latching member 11 can be a member fixedly connected to the opening member. Alternatively, the latching member 11 can be connected to the opening member 15 through a mechanism.

The opening member 15 is biased towards a rest position (FIGS. 3a-3c and 4a-4c ) by an elastic return member, such as a spring 17, having one end (not shown) connected to the opening member 15, and an opposite end connected to the lid 5. According to other embodiments, the return member may be directly connected to the opening member 15.

Therefore, the opening member 15 is operable to disengage the latching element 11 from the free end 13 b of the striker element 13 when the striker element 13 is in deactivated configuration (FIGS. 5a-5c ), allowing the lid 5 to pass from the closed position into the open position under the action of the return member 8.

A method of using the above described dispensing device 1 is explained hereinbelow.

After having filled the receptacle 3 of the dispensing device 1 with the desired quantity of washing agent, a user operates manually the lid 5 and slide it from its open position, shown in FIG. 2, to its closed position, shown in FIG. 1, against the action of the return spring 8. The free end 13 b of the striker member 13, which is in deactivated configuration, and the latching member 11 are configured to contact each other at the end of the sliding motion of the lid 5, in such a way as to cause the latching member 11 to move slightly away from its rest position against the action of the return spring 17, and return to its rest position when an end position of the lid 5 is reached, in which the lid 5 closes the receptacle 3 and is locked in this closed position by the fact that striker member 13 is snap engaged by the latching element 11 (FIGS. 3a-3c ).

If the user desires to open the lid 5 again, he/she can operate the opening member 15 by sliding it away from its rest position (towards the right side in the drawings) against the action of the return spring 17, in such a way as to disengage the latching member 11 from the free end 13 b of the striker member 13 (FIGS. 5a-5c ). When the latching member 11 is disengaged from the striker element 13, the lid 5 is free to move towards its open position under the action of the return spring 8.

If, on the contrary, the user closes the door of the dishwashing machine and turns on the machine, a washing cycle is activated. During this washing cycle, the actuator (not shown) associated to the striker member 13 is electrically operated to switch the striker member 13 from its deactivated position to its activated position (FIGS. 4a-4c ). When the striker member 13 is in activated position, it releases the latching member 11, and the lid 5 is free to move towards its open position under the action of the return spring 8.

In the example shown in the drawings, the above described latching apparatus is applied only to the lid 5 associated to the receptacle for the washing agent. In further embodiments, this latching apparatus can be applied also to a lid associated to a receptacle for the rinsing agent.

Obviously, without affecting the principle of the invention, the embodiments and constructional details may be widely varied with respect to that described and illustrated purely by way of a non-limiting example, without thereby departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the accompanying claims. 

1. A dispensing device (1) for a washing and/or rinsing agent, in particular for a dishwashing machine, said dispensing device (1) comprising: a body (2) configured to be mounted to a door of the dishwashing machine on the side directed during operation towards a washing chamber of said dishwashing machine; at least one receptacle (3) formed in the body (2) and intended to receive a quantity of a washing or rinsing agent; at least one movable lid (5) associated with said at least one receptacle (3) and displaceable in a manner constrained to the body (2) against the action of resilient return means (8) from an open position into a closed position, where it opens and closes the receptacle (3), respectively, wherein said lid comprises an outer face (5 b) which faces away from the receptacle (3) when the lid (5) is in closed position; a latching apparatus comprising a resiliently biased latching member (11) arranged on the lid (5) and an automatically controlled striker member (13) arranged on the body (2), wherein said striker member is able to assume a deactivated configuration, in which the striker member (13) is configured to be engaged by the latching member (11) when the lid (5) is in the closed position, and an activated configuration, in which the striker member (13) releases the latching element allowing the lid (5) to pass from the closed position into the open position; and at least one manually operated opening member (15) arranged on the lid (5) and operable to disengage the latching member (11) from the striker element (13) in deactivated configuration, allowing the lid (5) to pass from the closed position into the open position; characterized in that said opening member is slidably arranged in a slider guide (16) extending along said outer face of the lid (5).
 2. A device according to claim 1, wherein said lid is rotatable about a rotation axis, and the slider guide extends in a direction parallel to said rotation axis.
 3. A device according to claim 1, wherein said lid is movable along a trajectory (y) which is rectilinear at least when viewed in plan view, and the slider guide (16) extends in a direction orthogonal to said trajectory, at least when viewed in plan view.
 4. A device according to claim 1, wherein said opening member is fixedly connected to the latching member (11).
 5. A device according to claim 4, wherein said opening member is formed in one piece with the latching member (11).
 6. A device according to claim 1, further comprising an elastic member (17) configured to resiliently bias the latching member (11) and/or the opening member (15) towards a rest position, said spring having a first end connected to the lid (5) and a second end connected to the latching member (11) and/or opening member (15). 